Purse-snatcher violently drags woman across ground in Hacienda Heights, video shows
HACIENDA HEIGHTS, Calif. (KABC) -- Disturbing video captured the moment a woman was violently dragged across the ground by a purse-snatcher outside of a Bank of America in Hacienda Heights Monday.
Footage showed the woman try to hold on to her purse as the thief pulls her across a parking lot in the area of Azusa Avenue and Pepper Brook Way.
The man eventually pulls the purse free and appears to get away. Meanwhile, the woman can be seen getting up and doesn't appear to be seriously hurt.
"That could have been me, you know?" said Hacienda Heights resident Eva Gomez. "I can't help but tear up a little bit because I feel bad for her because she probably had money in there, I don't know how much, maybe her car keys."
The shocking video is now part of an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
The video was posted on social media by former L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who took aim at county Supervisors Hilda Solis and Janice Hahn over crime rates.
In a tweet, he said "to all the social justice warriors, how's that 'reimagining' working out?'"
Hahn responded to the incident by saying in part, "The brutality and heartlessness of the perpetrator in the video is shocking. I spoke with Sheriff Robert Luna [Wednesday morning] and am confident that he and his department are doing everything they can to bring this person into custody."
Meanwhile, Solis attacked Villanueva saying "... criticizing local public safety measures that were overwhelmingly approved by L.A. County voters and recently backed by the Court-the same voters who replaced the former sheriff with our current one-is a show of poor judgment and leadership."
City leaders have been the subject of criticism as the region continues to see crime, especially recent flash mob-style smash-and-grab robberies.
One of the most recent of those incidents happened at a mall in Topanga over the weekend. Video shows a group of up to 30 suspects smashing display cases at running out at the door of the Nordstrom store inside Westfield Topanga Mall.
"The violent crimes that are taking place all over the area are really concerning to me because you have to be extra, extra careful," said Hacienda Heights resident Keith Stafford.
Investigators said the group stole more than $300,000 worth of merchandise. They all escaped.
